Health Rumors: Fact or Fiction?

Rumor: Vicks VapoRub works better when applied to the feet instead of the chest.
True or False? False. "There's no reason this would work better than putting it on your child's chest," says Jennifer Shu, M.D., a pediatrician and coauthor of Heading Home with Your Newborn.

~I did this! Goodness, well my sister said to put some Vicks on my daughter's feet, figure... atleast I didn't forget to put vicks on her chest when she was sick.

Rumor: Kids can get drunk from drinking hand sanitizer.
True or False? True, but only in theory. A child would have to swallow a lot. "Hand Sanitizer do contain sixty percent alcohol, but they taste terrible, so it's unusual for a child to ingest to much," says Carlos Lerner, M.D., medical director of the Children's Health Center at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA. Still, it's best to keep containers out of reach.

~So far this one hasn't happen with my daughter. I make sure our bathroom door is close because she loves going inside the bathroom. Don't ask me why, for some reason she just love's going there. Good sign for toilet training..

Rumor: Shopping carts harbor more germs than public toilets.
True or False? True (Yuck!) "We isolate fecal bacteria more commonly on shopping carts," says Arizona microbiologist Chuck Gerba, M.D. The source is probably kids in diapers. Other harmful bacteria from meat and vegetables may linger on the seat, too. To reduce your child's exposure, use disinfecting wipes on the seat and handle.

~ And I thought I was paranoid to clean the shopping cart before I let my daughter sit on it. Mother instinct!